An Taisce offers training as climate ‘ambassador’

Programme focuses on identifying individuals in schools, campuses and communities

“Ireland is vulnerable to the effects of climate change and the impacts are serious: more storms, rising sea levels and changing weather.” Photograph: Getty Images

A new “climate ambassador” programme is being offered by An Taisce’s environmental education unit from Monday.

The programme focuses on identifying individuals in schools, campuses and the wider community who will work as ambassadors for climate change.

The programme is open to everyone, and following training ambassadors will be invited to undertake actions to make their school, campus or community more resilient to climate change.

Through community engagement the new ambassadors will play their part in building sustainable Irish communities ready to meet the challenges of a changing climate.

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten said climate change was the single biggest challenge facing us all. “Ireland is vulnerable to the effects of climate change and the impacts are serious: more storms, rising sea levels and changing weather.”

The new programme is one of four initiatives being funded by Mr Naughten’s department in partnership with An Taisce’s Green Schools National Climate Action and Awareness Programme.

Climate-change teacher training, a Climate Action Week and a schools Climate Expo are also scheduled to take place over the next year.